AubrysInFrance: Into Action with the 364th Infantry of the 91st Division

This post should have been completed in 2016, but we had misplaced the photos and finally got around to finding them and completing the post.

Anna’s maternal grandfather, Grover Franklin Thomas, volunteered to serve after America entered The Great War, or World War I. He was part of Company B, 1st Battalion, 364^th Infantry Regiment, 182^nd Brigade of the 91^st Division, also known as the “Wild West” Division, of the 1^st American Army under General Pershing. The division was made up mostly of young men from the western part of the United States – and mostly from California. They are described in the book With the 364^th Infantry in America, France, and Belgium, written by the Chaplain and Intelligence Officer of the Regiment, as being a “motley throng of men” when they arrived at Camp Lewis, Washington for basic training in September 1917. According to the book, they came from all walks of life – everything from business men and professional men in tailored suits to sunburned ranchers and cowboys in chaps. All of them had volunteered “in answer to the world’s emergency” and almost all had no Army experience. Within a year they were in the thick of things.

They arrived in France in late July, 1918 and by September 12, 1918 the Division was in reserve during the beginning of the St Mihiel offensive. It was determined that they were not needed in this sector, so the Division traveled, mostly on foot, to the nearby Meuse-Argonne sector where they formed a part of a huge American effort to break through this heavily fortified sector.

Historic Photo Showing the 91st Division Leaving a French Village During the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

Almost since the beginning of our sojourns in France, we had been talking about visiting an area where Grover had fought. His Division fought in the Argonne region of France, and then in Belgium. Looking at the map, Lyon is considerably closer to the Argonne than to Belgium, plus he had been wounded in the Argonne offensive, so that was the area we chose.

We studied the above book carefully with its maps, along with contemporary maps. We spent a good deal of time reading, making timelines, and marking the Regiment’s, and in some cases, Company B’s movements from September 26 to October 4, 1918. We found that with a good deal of note-taking and cross referencing we were able to follow the movements of the Regiment closely.

The Regiment arrived September 25 at their designated headquarters between the Mont des Allieux and Cigalerie Butte, two small hills near the Butte de Vauquois which had been fought over for years. At 2:30AM, the next day, artillery began shelling the German positions. The Brigade was on the left side of the Division front as the infantry moved out at 5:30AM on the road between the two small hills.

Sign on building spelling out 'Cigalerie'

Area Where the Regiment Formed up to Attack - Sept 25, 1918

Note that by using historic and contemporary maps, we were able to accurately locate the area where Grover’s Regiment had formed up to launch their attack. It was a bit spooky to stand almost exactly where Grover had stood 98 years previously and know that we were at the spot where he and his comrades were about to go into action against the Germans.

Map of Area Where Regiment Began their Attack

They were briefly held up by German machine guns, but the Battalion advanced into Cheppy Woods, capturing German positions, including a ‘canteen’ with beer and cigarettes which were, of course, liberated.

A day later, the 27^th, the 1^st Battalion was in reserve as the Regiment continued to advance, liberating several small villages in the two days of the advance. The advance that day totaled 1-1/2 miles, a very significant distance in this time of trench warfare.

Anna by sign for village of Very, liberated by the Regiment

Anna by sign for village of Eclisfontaine, also liberated by Regiment

The next day, the 28^th, the Regiment suffered heavy casualties, with the attack beginning at 9AM, with the 1^st Battalion on the left. The advance began opposite Exmorieux Farm as German machine gunners in farm buildings held them up for a time. The next day, at 1:30PM, they captured the farm taking a number of prisoners. They were fired upon by German snipers in Epinettes Woods and attacked by Diphosgene gas from German artillery. By nightfall, the Regiment occupied a ridge north of Baulny Woods and Transol Farm. At this point the attack shifted to another part of the line so the Regiment spent the next few days, until October 4^th, holding their positions, under shell, sniper, and machine gun fire. Shortly thereafter, the 91^st Division was pulled out of the area and sent to the Front in Belgium.